12:21 PM EDT, 09/19/2024 (MT Newswires) -- The European stock markets closed sharply higher in Thursday trading as the Stoxx Europe 600 rose 1.36%, the Swiss Market Index gained 0.63%, France's CAC surged 2.29%, the FTSE in London was up 0.91%, and Germany's DAX increased 1.54%.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted Wednesday in favor of maintaining its current bank rate at 5%. Only one of the nine members voted in favor of reducing the rate by 25 basis points.

And in corporate news, the European Commission said Thursday that it has launched two proceedings to get Apple ( AAPL ) to open the operating systems on its iPhones and iPads to other technologies or face possible fine under the Digital Markets Act. Apple ( AAPL ) must provide free and effective interoperability to third-party developers and businesses with hardware and software features controlled by its operating systems, iOS and iPadOS. The Commission also said that the proceedings will last six months from when they begin. Apple ( AAPL ) shares were up 3.6% on Nasdaq.

Investment firm KKR and German billionaire Mathias Dopfner have agreed to split German media company Axel Springer in two, Axel Springer said Thursday. Axel Springer's media assets will remain privately owned by Friede Springer and Dopfner, who will jointly hold a nearly 98% ownership stake. Axel Springer will operate as a fully private company. KKR was up nearly 3% on Nasdaq.

British software firm Endava reported fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings of 0.22 British pounds ($0.29) per diluted share, down from 0.57 pounds a year earlier. Analysts polled by Capital IQ expected 0.23 pounds. Revenue for the quarter ended June 30 was 194.4 million pounds, up from 189.8 million a year earlier. Analysts expected $195.6 million pounds.

Mining stocks rallied on the European bourses in Thursday trading as Antofagasta and Fresnillo rose 4.5% and 4.4% respectively in London, followed by Anglo American and Rio Tinto, which were up 3.6% each. Steel and mining giant ArcelorMittal closed 3.8% higher in Amsterdam.